Barcoding Basics

Barcode systems provide an array of benefits, including operational efficiency, better customer service and improved visibility of key business information to management.

Barcodes have been around since the 1970s. Although the technology around them has changed dramatically, their purpose remains the same: to enable the automatic identification of unique products or items.

The Top Five Advantages of Barcodes

1.Speed

A barcode label of twelve characters can be wanded in approximately the time it takes a keyboard operator to make two keystrokes.

2.Accuracy

For every 1,000 characters typed by a keyboard operator, there are an average of 10 keying errors. For an Optical Character Reader (OCR), there is one error in every 10,000 reads. With wands, barcode systems approach one error in every 3 million characters; and with laser technology, they approach one error in 70 million entries.

3. Data Integrity

Greater accuracy means greater data integrity. Take a look at these statistics:

Probable number of substitution errors per 3,400,000 characters

Keyboard Entry: 10,000 Errors

OCR Scanning: 300 Errors

Barcode Scanning (Code 39): 1 Error

4. Ease of Implementation

Barcode scanner operators can learn to use the equipment effectively in less than 15 minutes, while system costs are lower than other means of data entry due to the existence of interfacing hardware and software. Also, barcode labels can cost less than a penny apiece, are easily read by thousands of commonly available devices and can be printed universally.

5.Cost Effectiveness

Barcode systems have a demonstrated payback period of six to 18 months, and they provide the highest level of reliability in a wide variety of data collection applications. Barcode systems create value not only by saving time, but also by preventing costly errors.

What is the standard for your company’s data? Information is your most valuable asset, so you need the most reliable data management systems available for your budget. Wrong information in your supply chain or operations can create risks, lost business and higher operating expenses. Protect your organization by ensuring data accuracy and availability.

“Barcoding did an excellent job of coming in and figuring out how to best make our scanning solution work. They were careful to understand all of our requirements and created a customized solution that will help drive our efficiency, accuracy, and connectivity well into the future.”
Nannette Zander, Vice President of Information Technology, Azteca Foods, Inc.